Most of the patents prior to 1836 were lost in the Dec. 1836 fire. Only about 2,000 of the almost 10,000 documents were recovered.

Little is known about this patent. Only the patent drawing is available. This patent is in the database for reference only.

For a machine for Sawing Shoemakers' Lasts and Hat Blocks; Seth Carsley, 2nd, Harrison, Cumberland county, Maine, April 2.

“This improvement in making shoe lasts and hat blocks, is a circular saw and a vibrating carriage, placed above a slide carriage; and an index and pattern, which govern the action of the saw upon the work; and a feeding screw which moves the slide carriage.” The foregoing is the whole of the specification, with the exception of three or four lines of reference to the drawing; the latter, however, is tolerably descriptive, and by the joint aid of imagination and invention, an idea may be formed of the structure of the machine. This saw, we are led to suppose, is to operate as a rasp, or gouge, in roughing out a block; the block and saw are both made to revolve. The guide is in the shape of the article to be produced, and is made to revolve against what is rather strangely called the index, as it is a round wheel fixed to a sliding frame, which it causes to move so as to carry the block to be formed, against the saw, agreeably to the shape of the pattern.

Journal of the Franklin Institute Vol 6 1830 pg 3

(To be filled in.)